Going with the Flow

September 15, 2006, 4:20 p.m.

I meant to start updating more often but the last month has passed in a flash.

Things have slowed down a bit on the writing front which has given me more time to concentrate on sending out queries. It’s hard to come up with ideas when I am staring at the computer screen for hours on end. I need to be out, engaging with people, staring off into space or walking the dogs in order to come up with new ideas (or the ever-popular fresh takes on old ideas).

I spent a week on a press trip in Northern Michigan. I went hiking and kayaking and toured several museums and small towns. It was a whirlwind tour that had me on the go from morning until night but it helped me generate a lot of new ideas. I have been working on queries since I got home earlier this week.

I am also spending a lot of time writing content for my new website. I designed the original site four years ago and it was in desperate need of a facelift. I am really excited about updating the site so it is a better reflection of my work and who I am as a writer.

I’ve gotten a lot of bad news this month: two of the magazines that I wrote for on a regular basis have ceased publication and another regular market has changed its format which will result in significantly less work for me.

It was really hard to adjust to the news at first, especially because it has such a huge impact on my bottom line. I threw a long pity party and then realized that while it’s sad to say goodbye to markets I loved (and editors I loved more) it is the push I needed to let go of some of those regular clients to start pursuing new markets.

It’s very easy to fall into the trap of becoming too comfortable as a freelancer, especially when editors are coming to you with work. The time I was spending on these projects prevented me from going after some of the markets I really wanted to write for because I didn’t have time to research and write queries.

I know there is going to be some lag time before I pick up new work to replace the lost income but I’m already excited about some of the new markets I’ve found. One of the most important things I’ve learned in this business is that you have to be prepared to roll with the punches.

Dispatches from the Home Office

August 22, 2006, 2:55 p.m.

I promise to start updating more often. Yes, I have said this before but this time I swear I’m going to follow through. You see, there is a talented designer spending hours hunched over his computer working on a new website as we speak. He tells me that having a journal (which is updated on a semi-regular basis) will drive traffic to the new and improved site. I believe him.

Things are a little saner around the home office (translation: I am working fewer weekends and logging off of the computer before 8 p.m.), hence the time to work on the new website. (Truth be told, I am not working on the site at all. I am just driving the designer mad with requests to tweak the layout, change the font and entertain me with different color choices).

I have been working, writing a few articles here and there on topics like raising chickens, making small talk, misdiagnosed diseases and the best positions for women in labor. I am also sending queries to my favorite magazines, planning classes for the fall and working one-on-one with aspiring freelance writers.

There have also been a few exciting (although not work-related) things on the calendar this summer.

I am on the auction committee for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and SW Washington. I have volunteered on the committee in the past and after a short hiatus, a friend and fellow committee member urged me to come back. I am soliciting donations for the annual auction which takes place on September 23. We have received some wonderful and generous donations from local businesses and I have been working with some amazing women to put the event together.

I also have another office mascot. His name is Milo and he is a miniature longhaired cream dapple dachshund (quite a mouthful, eh?). J and I talked about getting a second dog for a while before we took the plunge. It has been interesting to go through potty training, crate training and please-sleep-through-the-night training all over again but so worth it. I would post pictures, but I have no idea how.

Molly and Milo (yes, both of their names start with ‘M.’ It was not planned, I swear) get along quite well. The dogs are also a great excuse to escape from the office and go for a long walk in the middle of the day, which is exactly where I’m going right now…

Updates

July 19, 2006, 3:11 p.m.

Believe it or not, two months have passed since the last update. The lack of updates is not because of a lack of news, just a lack of time.

It has been a productive – and fun – two months. I have been working on several articles and nearing the finish line on the book project. Since the last post, I have been writing for USA Weekend, Arthritis Today, Modern Bride, Better Nutrition, Fit Pregnancy and Women’s Health and Fitness. Of course, I am also still writing for the Portland Tribune.

I have also been pitching like mad. I am trying to break into For Me, Cooking Light, Women’s Health and others. I figure that if I send enough targeted pitches, the editors will decide to give me a shot.

I am such an impatient person which makes it hard to play the waiting game that is a huge part of freelancing. I check my e-mail a million times a day, answer the phone on the first ring and run to the mailbox at exactly 11 a.m. hoping for good news (an odd thing to do considering I haven’t sent a query via snail mail in a couple of years).

Last weekend I got to experience a freelancer’s dream – instant feedback from editors. I was at the One-on-One conference in Chicago where I met with five different editors. I was able to pitch them ideas for their magazines and find out whether they were interested enough to have me follow up with queries.

I had several really productive meetings (and a ton of fun). I arrived home very late on Sunday night and set to work putting together queries on Monday morning. My hope is to have the last query sent out no later than Friday. Hopefully I’ll start getting some (positive) responses by the end of the month.

In the midst of deadlines, J and I traveled to Japan. We had a fantastic time! It is such a beautiful country. We spent a few days in Tokyo, traveled south to Kyoto on the bullet train and then took day trips to Nara and Himeji before returning to Tokyo. We took tons of photos (I would post some here but I have no idea how) and saw some amazing sights.

One of the highlights for me was trekking to Monkey Mountain, a mountain in Kyoto that a group of macaques call home. We were just a few feet away from dozens of monkeys! One of the littlest babies approached me, put his hands on my shoe and then reached forward to climb up my leg before his mom snatched him away. It was a surreal experience, especially since we only see monkeys in cages at the zoo.

I have struggled to adapt to four different time zones in under a week but slowly feel like I am getting back on schedule. In the meantime, stay tuned for a complete website update (and, hopefully, more regular posts).